As has been pointed out already by several participants on a recent
thread in the 'uk.railway' newsgroup, Public Transport provides an excellent
example of how Web technology can be employed to good effect. Some splendid
initiatives have been seen in various places, both in the UK and abroad,
providing various ways of accessing each of the relevant information areas
that a user of Public Transport needs: journey planners, fare information, and last but
not least, up-to-the-minute information on service delays.

In quite a number of cases, however, one finds that the information has
been provided in ways that are, quite unnecessarily, accessible to only a
limited number of browsers or browsing situations.

The technology of the web makes it feasible to offer information in such
a way that it can be accessed from any
web-browsing situation. There are many benefits in allowing it to do that
job, and many disadvantages in drifting into a reliance on vendor-specific
techniques, or in assuming a specific browsing situation (and then "arguing
with customers" who for their own good reasons are unable or unwilling to
change to the author's own choice of browser software or browsing
situation).

Designing web sites with full accessibility in mind does not (as is
sometimes misleadingly claimed) require additional design work, nor
require different versions of web pages for different viewing situations.
On the contrary: experienced web designers report that designing to one,
published, interworking specification and to clear accessibility
guidelines is easier and more economical than trying to design
specifically for several different vendors' browsers, and then trying to
rectify the problems on a piecemeal basis afterwards.

Public transport represents a situation where accessibility of
information is even more relevant than usual. Some users will
already be under way, and wish to access information via their cellphone and
palmtop computer, or over an expensive hotel dial-up line. Some users may
suffer from impaired eyesight, and need to view the information in unusual
ways (e.g magnified, or even using a speaking machine). Many of the
techniques that are used on the web in an attempt to impose a specific
graphic design on the reader are potentially hostile to these accessibility
considerations.

The process of "designing" a web page is not - or it should not be - at
all comparable to designing, say, a magazine article, or printed
advertisement, which is going to be printed in one size on one kind of
paper with one set of colour options, and in the hope of attracting the
attention of a reader whose thoughts are elsewhere. A web page will only
be seen by a reader who has deliberately sought it out and keen to have
the information which it offers; it will be displayed in many different
ways according to the reader's situation, and any "design" procedure that
fails to take this into account is misguided.

In recognition of these considerations, therefore, we are seeking a
commitment on the part of UK transport information providers to the
principle that all users of the World Wide Web, particularly those in the
UK, should have easy, unobstructed access to all UK public transport
information available on the web, regardless of the computer system or
browser software being used.

This principle applies most especially to those sites whose content may be
subsidised by the taxpayer, whether indirectly through subsidies provided by
the Rail Franchise Director, or by various local authorities and Government
bodies who fund this information provision directly through taxation.

This small Web resource is intended to provide positive, helpful advice
and guidance to all who wish to achieve these aims.